SPOKANE, Wash. – Washington State dropped a 7-4 nonconference meeting to Gonzaga at the Patterson Baseball Complex Tuesday evening. The Cougars won the previous meeting with the Bulldogs 4-3 April 3 in Pullman.
WSU (10-20) received two-hit games from JJ Hancock, Dillon Plew and James Rudkin along with a two-run home run from Justin Harrer. Gonzaga improved to 19-16 after collecting 12 hits and scored runs in the first four innings including a three-run second inning.
Gonzaga scored a run in the first inning and added three runs on five hits in the second inning. The Cougars pushed a run across on a Rudkin RBI-single in the second inning before Harrer hit a 2-run homer to left center in the third inning to make it a 4-3 GU lead.
In the bottom of the third, Gonzaga pushed the lead to 5-3 with a leadoff solo homer to left and added two more runs in the fourth inning for a 7-3 advantage.
In the sixth, freshman Brody Barnum pulled a doubled off the third base bag and down the left field line and later scored on a Danny Sinatro fielder's choice to cut the GU lead to 7-4.
In the eighth, WSU received a one-out single from Plew and Rudkin was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Gonzaga struck out the next hitter but the Cougars executed a double steal. With runners on second and third and two outs, the Bulldog bullpen again ended the threat with an inning-ending groundout to third bases, keeping it 7-4.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Andres Alvarez led off the game with a bloop double to right field, he has hit safely in 7 straight games
JJ Hancock walked in the 1st inning to extend his on-base streak to 17 games
Justin Harrer hit his 8th homer of the season, the most since Taylor Ard hit 12 in 2012
Reliever Bryce Moyle allowed a leadoff homer to start the 3rd but struck out the next 3 hitters
Parker McFadden struck out the side in the 7th inning
NEXT UP
Washington State will host Santa Clara for a three-game series this weekend beginning Friday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
TOP MOMENTS
WSU (10-20) received two-hit games from JJ Hancock, Dillon Plew and James Rudkin along with a two-run home run from Justin Harrer. Gonzaga improved to 19-16 after collecting 12 hits and scored runs in the first four innings including a three-run second inning.
Gonzaga scored a run in the first inning and added three runs on five hits in the second inning. The Cougars pushed a run across on a Rudkin RBI-single in the second inning before Harrer hit a 2-run homer to left center in the third inning to make it a 4-3 GU lead.
In the bottom of the third, Gonzaga pushed the lead to 5-3 with a leadoff solo homer to left and added two more runs in the fourth inning for a 7-3 advantage.
In the sixth, freshman Brody Barnum pulled a doubled off the third base bag and down the left field line and later scored on a Danny Sinatro fielder's choice to cut the GU lead to 7-4.
In the eighth, WSU received a one-out single from Plew and Rudkin was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Gonzaga struck out the next hitter but the Cougars executed a double steal. With runners on second and third and two outs, the Bulldog bullpen again ended the threat with an inning-ending groundout to third bases, keeping it 7-4.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Andres Alvarez led off the game with a bloop double to right field, he has hit safely in 7 straight games
JJ Hancock walked in the 1st inning to extend his on-base streak to 17 games
Justin Harrer hit his 8th homer of the season, the most since Taylor Ard hit 12 in 2012
Reliever Bryce Moyle allowed a leadoff homer to start the 3rd but struck out the next 3 hitters
Parker McFadden struck out the side in the 7th inning
NEXT UP
Washington State will host Santa Clara for a three-game series this weekend beginning Friday at Bailey-Brayton Field.
TOP MOMENTS
We're all tied at 1-1 as James Rudkin drives in an RBI single for @Cougbaseball. pic.twitter.com/3gPxx60Inz
— SWXRightNow (@SWXRightNow) April 18, 2018
.@Cougbaseball gets right back in it after a 2-run homer by Justin Harrer!
— SWXRightNow (@SWXRightNow) April 18, 2018
Zags 4, Cougs 3. pic.twitter.com/6hN8YIsS66
Mason De La Cruz makes it look easy!#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/Ncd6r4MJ6N
— WSU Baseball (@Cougbaseball) April 18, 2018
GU adds 2 more in the 4th but Hancock throws out the runner at home to end the inning#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/7IvQwHJtuB
— WSU Baseball (@Cougbaseball) April 18, 2018
Go get it JJ! Nice catch on the sprint by JJ Hanock in the 8th!#GoCougs pic.twitter.com/EyZdsbGeZ8
— WSU Baseball (@Cougbaseball) April 18, 2018